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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27155890">Deadwood</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WalkoftheQilin/pseuds/WalkoftheQilin'>WalkoftheQilin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dream Smp, Pogtopia, Pre-Festival, manburg, tommy wilbur and techno are brothers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:21:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,231</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27155890</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WalkoftheQilin/pseuds/WalkoftheQilin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“I know you’re there.”</p><p>No answer. Technoblade narrows his eyes, trying to pinpoint the exact location.</p><p>A quiet step. There.</p><p>He tosses up the dagger in his hand, catches it, and hurls it at that spot in the brush, hearing it hit solid wood instead. Okay, <em>now<em> he has a good idea of who it is. Reflexes that fast remind him of a certain championship many moons ago, of being just a few meters behind the heels of a figure that barely shifted the grass as he ran.</em></em></p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“You missed that,” Dream says from behind him.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Post-Wilbur-going-insane, pre-festival. Dream and Technoblade have a conversation.</em>
  </em>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clay | Dream &amp; Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>463</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Deadwood</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Technoblade feels like he’s really outdone himself this time. He had descended into the Nether, what? Ten? Fifteen days ago? Maybe he even missed the festival, although he’s sure Tommy would have sent him a message somehow if he did. Point is, he descended into the Nether many nights ago, and it is only now that he has returned.</p><p>The brightness of the overworld seems almost unnatural against his eyes, and he has to bring up an arm to shield them. The Nether was always dark, lit by the warm orange glow of lava and flickering torches. Somewhere along the way, it had even started feeling like home. </p><p>And there were piglins too. Maybe he really did belong there. Technoblade lets out a huff of laughter at the thought.</p><p>He doesn’t have a compass on him, but a cursory glance at the sun tells him what time of day it is and where he should be going. It’s either 4 pm, or it’s 8 am and he’s going in the complete opposite direction, but he likes his chances. He heads off into the woods, stride only slightly weighed down by all the items he obtained.</p><p>The Nether was a lot warmer too, he realizes as he walks. Of course, he’d known that when he first entered, but spending 24 hours a day in the sweltering heat was something you had to get used to, or else you suffered. Now in the overworld, the breeze brushes by his bare hands and trickles under his clothes with coldness that runs almost bone deep. Technoblade pulls his cloak a little tighter around himself- it wasn’t much, but it’d do until he got back home.</p><p>He stops in a clearing to rest. This is good. He recognizes this place, had passed through it on his way to the portal. Getting back to his base should be smooth sailing. Then he’ll be able to upgrade to a netherite sword. If needed, he could use the blaze rods for firework stars, and it never hurt to have a few extra wither skulls…</p><p>Technoblade pauses, straightening. His hand flies to his dagger nearby. There’s someone there.</p><p>Only a few people have stealth of that kind. Technoblade can wager a guess for some of them: it can be H, new to the land but already making a name for himself. It can be Fundy, foxlike nature making him the hardest to pin down. It can even be Tommy, if he’s motivated enough to try. Frankly, Technoblade has no idea who it is, and he’d probably just embarrass himself by making a wrong guess.</p><p>He turns around instead. “I know you’re there.”</p><p>No answer. He narrows his eyes, trying to pinpoint the exact location.</p><p>A quiet step. There.</p><p>He tosses up the dagger in his hand, catches it, and hurls it at that spot in the brush, hearing it hit solid wood instead. Okay, <em> now </em> he has a good idea of who it is. Reflexes that fast remind him of a certain championship many moons ago, of being just a few meters behind the heels of a figure that barely shifted the grass as he ran.</p><p>“You missed that,” Dream says from behind him.</p><p>“I’ll try not to next time,” he responds wryly, turning around. Dream’s standing closer than he expects, forcing him to take a step back. “You must’ve used an ender pearl, though how I didn’t see it I have no idea.”</p><p>“I threw it when you were turning around. A high arc.”</p><p>Technoblade makes a mental note of that in his head, a bookmark for future battle tactics. “Noted. So, any reason you were spying on me just now?”</p><p>Dream only tilts his head. Technoblade can’t tell what his reaction is because of that mask, but then again, Dream was probably aware of that and doing it on purpose. </p><p>“Who said I was spying?”</p><p>Technoblade gives him a deadpan look, which Dream only seems to return. When the silence gets too long, he gives up and goes to find his dagger. It takes a few moments to locate which tree it’s embedded itself in, and when he tugs on the handle, it refuses to budge. He must’ve thrown it harder than he thought.</p><p>“Where were you coming from?” Dream asks from directly behind him, making him jump with a curse.</p><p>He sends a glance in the direction he came from, northeast. Dream isn’t stupid. He knows the layout of his own land. “The nether portal.”</p><p>“Gearing up?”</p><p>“No, to party. My hellspawn pig kin are surprisingly entertaining.”</p><p>Dream lets out that laugh of his and- oh wow, Technoblade remembers how ominous his laugh was. He heard it constantly during their time at the championships, back when they were both just kids fighting for their names. Dream laughed whenever he felt confident in a situation, whenever he felt like he was in control. He’s definitely got something up his sleeve right now.</p><p>“Alright, I’ll bite. Why are you here?”</p><p>“What if I just wanted to talk to you?” Dream asks, reaching a hand up to adjust his mask. Technoblade’s eyes wander over it, trying to figure out where exactly the eyeholes are. He literally sees none. How Dream manages to see out of that is beyond him.</p><p>Technoblade snorts, tearing his eyes away to focus on the dagger. He plants a foot at the base of the trunk. “You haven’t talked to me since I came here. I didn’t realize you wanted to start.”</p><p>“I never needed to. Wilbur was the leader of l’Manberg and Pogtopia.”</p><p>Technoblade yanks on the dagger with more force than necessary, and it dislodges with a dull scraping noise. “Okay, genius. So why are we talking now?”</p><p>A glimpse of a grin flashes from behind the mask. “I’m here to ask you about Manberg’s little festival. The one you’re preparing for, I’m sure.”</p><p>The upcoming festival. Technoblade would be lying if he said he wasn’t expecting chaos. Wilbur and Tommy were both dead set on going, and frankly, he couldn’t imagine a scenario where Pogtopians and Manbergians existed together peacefully. No, this would be an event with bloodshed. And now it looks like Dream’s trying to dig his hands into this affair as well.</p><p>“Okay,” Technoblade says, pocketing the dagger. “Okay, nice talking to you now, but I think I’m gonna head home.”</p><p>He starts crossing the clearing. The sound of twin footsteps tell him that Dream is right at his feet.</p><p>“I’ve said it before already, I’m on your side.”</p><p>“No, you’re not. You’re on Wilbur’s side.” Techno wasn’t there when it first happened, but he’d heard the details from Tommy. The boy had been past distraught. “Dream, we’re in the middle of what I’d safely call infighting. I’m all for a little disorder, but it seems like there’s two clear halves of Pogtopia with wildly different goals. And it looks like you’ve chosen a side.”</p><p>“I have chosen a side, like it or not,” Dream’s voice floats from behind. “Have you, though?”</p><p>Dream was always too nosy. “Frankly, that’s none of your business.”</p><p>“Frankly, it is. I’ve got my own goals in this, you know. Schlatt isn’t a good leader. And right now, it looks like Wilbur’s got the best chance at taking him down.”</p><p>“And taking down Manberg, as well as Pogtopia, with him. You’re not altruistic, Dream, you just want weaker enemies.”</p><p>Dream’s footsteps sync up with his, making each step seem to echo. “And is that so wrong? Wilbur wants destruction, and he tells me you’re here for anarchy. Are the three of us so different?”</p><p>Now, that was a joke. Wilbur’s not exactly the most reliable intel. Everyone could see it- Tommy and Tubbo and himself, and clearly Dream as well. Wilbur was slowly losing his grasp on reality.</p><p>Technoblade joined because of a desperate plea, one that called in his bond to his brothers. And although the blood of a fighter runs in his veins, it’s nothing compared to the level of decimation Wilbur is planning.</p><p>“I heard about those wither skulls, Techno,” Dream continues when he doesn’t respond. “Setting them on Manbergians is quite in line with what Wilbur plans to do.”</p><p>
  <em> “Please don’t leave him alone, Techno,” Tommy pleaded one day, after another argument. Technoblade had preferred to take the back seat in politics, so he only saw the aftermath: Wilbur throwing open the door and disappearing; Tommy, exiting later and beelining towards him. “He- I’ve disagreed with him too much, he’s still working with me but doesn’t feel like he can trust me at all. He’s all alone. Please, he needs someone to understand him.” </em>
</p><p>It’s ironic, almost. Wilbur predicted he would betray them in an instant to continue fighting. But the reason Technoblade was here in the first place was due to lingering loyalty towards family, whereas it appears Wilbur had discarded those ideals entirely.</p><p>Dream appears in front of him among sparks of purple, startling him into stillness. “You can’t just ignore the question, you know.”</p><p>“What question?” He responds, shifting on one leg. The weight of all the gold he mined feels heavy under his cloak.</p><p>“Whose side are you on? I’d prefer to know now, if you’ll be an enemy or an ally during the festival.”</p><p>
  <em> Technoblade showed Wilbur the wither skulls the next time he saw him, and the delight on his face felt like water on a burn. It soothed the ache that was present, but Technoblade knew it would only ache more after. </em>
</p><p>Technoblade fixes his eyes on Dream’s hair, peeking out from under the hood and over his mask. It’s a lot lighter than it was before, now almost a blond color. When they had met at the championships, it was light brown. When they had teamed up, it was lighter still. When they had fought, it could have been called caramel.</p><p>A lot has changed since then.</p><p>“I beat you in that fight,” Technoblade says aloud, absentmindedly.</p><p>Of course, he doesn’t even get to relish Dream’s reaction. That blank smile stares back, childishly simple yet stoically menacing. Dream’s voice is low when he speaks next. “Is that a challenge?”</p><p>“Not at all,” Technoblade lies.</p><p>Dream breathes, and then his axe is out. Technoblade’s own hands fly to the dagger again, but Dream swings the weapon in an arc, stopping it right below his neck like how he had done to Dream months prior.</p><p>The similarities are not lost on him.</p><p>“Techno, when this is all over we’ll have a proper competition. A manhunt. Let’s see how long you can last against me then.” He leans forward, and Technoblade feels the cool touch of metal against his skin. “Unless you’re siding with Tommy. Then we’ll be fighting a lot sooner than planned.”</p><p>“I’m not choosing sides, Dream,” Technoblade says finally. “They’re both my brothers. I’d like them to resolve their problems.”</p><p>“But Wilbur’s like you. He’s more likely to get you what you want.”</p><p>Technoblade grabs the handle below the blade of the axe and pushes it to the side. “Unlike you, Dream, I’m not going to bet on my friends. I’m trying to support them here.”</p><p>He brushes past him, intent on leaving this conversation - <em> and this whole situation, this whole situation was stupid </em> - when Dream grabs his arm. Retort on his tongue, he spins around. And falters when he sees what’s in Dream’s outstretched hand.</p><p>A full sack. Inside, enchanted golden apples. The sheen is unmistakable.</p><p>“What?” Technoblade asks, baffled, as it lands in his arms.</p><p>“See you at the festival,” Dream only says. And- there it is again, the same, sly grin peeking out from behind his mask as he takes a step back and turns halfway. And then vanishes into thin air.</p><p>Technoblade blinks at the purple particles shimmering in his wake. Slowly, realization sets in, followed by indignation. Dream definitely planned something. And whatever it was, he thinks he’s won.</p><p>Technoblade turns to head back home, pace faster than normal. He might not know what Dream was planning, but he could prepare for it. And the first step was to get all his items (plus golden apples) back home.</p>
<hr/><p>Dream perches on the highest branch of a tree, watching the figure grow smaller in the distance. He’s taking a risk, one that could cost him more than a handful of gold and apples, but it’s well worth it.</p><p>He was there for Wilbur’s fall. He saw how Wilbur thought, saw how Tommy reacted, and he knew: Wilbur was dead set on destruction, and Tommy, despite his loyalty to his president, cared for his l’Manburg more. There would be no changing of minds there.</p><p>Dream had written Techno off as siding with Wilbur, a misjudgement on his part. In fact, Techno held power that could make armies falter and nations collapse; he was too important to disregard. Dream couldn’t assume. He had to make sure.</p><p>And while Techno believed himself to be impartial, Dream knew better. With Wilbur insane, Tommy desperate, and Techno forced to choose- well, it seems the card would more likely fall one way than the other.</p><p>One benefit of being on the sidelines, Dream has realized, is that it’s easier to take risks and let others take the fall. Technoblade was a high risk investment, but that only meant greater returns.</p><p>He couldn’t wait for the festival.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>and then dream sleeps through the entire festival ahaha<br/>i rewrote this five times, and there's still some stuff i'm not entirely happy with but i just wanted to get it over with at that point. thanks for reading!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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